Pitman connection.



Patented Sept. I7, |9017 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. FINDMORE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PITMAN CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 682,745, dated September 17, 1901.V

Application tiled December 17, 1900. Serial No. 40,090. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. PRIDMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pitman Connections; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, vsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in pitman connections, and pertains more particularly to ball-and-socket joints used in connection with the knife-heads of mowingmachines.

The object of my invention is to provide a ball-and-socket connection between the pitman and knife-head of a mowing-machine which will have an even uniform bearing under constant springpressure, that will automatically compensate for wear, and that will not have to be adjusted each time the knife is taken from the machine.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a plan view of my invention applied to a mowing-machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section through the connection, showing the spoons in disengaged or open relation. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan showing the spoons unlocked, but in closed relation; and Fig. 5 is a detail of the locking cam-nut.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a pitman of a mowing-machine, to which are attached two spoons a at', which are preferably formed of metal and possess an inherent resiliency, tending normally to force them apart. Spoon a is provided with an inwardlyprojecting socket a6, through which passes a bolt c, which in turn is surrounded .by a spiral spring c4, seated in the socket a6 and bearing against a washer c2, adjacent the head c' of the bolt. The spoon a has an enlarged orifice a4 opposite the socket a, and around this orilice is an upturned liange provided with a series of cams or inclines ai". The outer end of the bolt is fitted with a swiveled nut d, working loosely on said bolt and held in position by a suitable screwthreaded nut c3; The depending flange of said nut is provided with cams d', adapted to tofore it has been necessary to readj ust the bearing between the spoons and the ballbearing ,on the knife-head every time the knife was removed. By my construction I provide means for keeping the spoons against the ball of the knife-head by spring-pressure, so as to insure a tight bearing at all times to take up the wear between the parts and maintain the parts in such relation that they will not have to be adj usted every time the knife is taken from the machine. f To this end the bolt which holds the spoons together passes through a coiled spring that is seated in a recess or socket in one of the spoons, so as to be out of the way of the hay and other obstructions, and the other end passes through a nut provided with locking cam-rims coperating with corresponding rims on the contiguous spoon. The effect of this spring will be to hold the spoons in closed relation to grasp or inclose the ball-bearing b', which is connected by a suitable bracket b with the knife-head B, as illustrated in Fig. 4; but -it is desired that sufficient pressure shall be brought upon the spoons to insure a reasonably Iirm connection between the ball and the sockets CL2 as of the said spoons. When the ball-bearing has been slipped within the spoons, as indicated in Fig. 3, and said spoons have closed down over b', as indicated in Fig. 4, the nut d is turned so as to cause the camianges d thereoflto ride up on the corresponding flanges a5 of the spoon a until-the lugs d2 drop into the recesses a6, when the parts are locked firmly together and the spoons are held on the ball-bearing with just the right tension. Any subsequent wear in the connection will be taken up by a corresponding expansion of the spring, and should it be desired to secure a Iirmer bearing between the ball and the socket-s the nut cs may be turned up against the end of the nut c, thereby increasing the tension of the spring c4. By this ICO construction Whenever the parts are once set/,.-

to the required degree of strain on the spring any further adjustment is unnecessary.

The construction is simple and eiicient and renders it impossible for an unskilful workman to make the joint between the pitman and the knife-head either too tight or too loose. Vhen it is desired to uncouple the connection, the nut d is turned to disengage the lugs d2 from the recesses a6 until the cams on the nut conform to the those on the spoon. A lateral pressure on either spoon will separate the spoons sufficiently to remove the knife-head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, a clamping member having a yielding connection with one spoon, a cam-nut on said clamping member and a cooperating cam on the other spoon.

2. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, a spring-pressed bolt carried by one spoon, and a locking cam-nut ou said bolt and a cooperating cam on the other spoon.

3. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, one of said spoons having a socket and the other having an orifice opposite said socket, a bolt passing through said socket and said orifice, a spring mounted in said socket and engaging said bolt, and cooperating means on said bolt and one of said spoons, whereby said Spoons are brought together in operative position and held under tension of said spring.

4. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, one spoon having a socket and the other a registering orifice, a bolt passing through said socket and said ori- Iice, a spring mounted in said socket and engaging said bolt, a cam-nut carried by said bolt, and a cooperating cam on one of said spoons whereby said spoons are brought together in operative position and held under tension of said spring.

5. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, a bolt passing through both spoons, a spring on said bolt held between the head of said bolt and the contiguous spoon, a cam-nut swiveled on the end of said bolt, a cooperating cam on the adjacent spoon, and means for locking said cams together when their higher rpoints engage.

G. A pitman connection, comprising a pair of cooperating spoons, a bolt passing through both spoons, a spring on said bolt held between the head of said bolt and the contiguous spoon, a cam-nut swiveled on the end of said bolt, a cooperating cam on the adjacent spoon, one of said cams having a projecting lug and the other a cooperating recess whereby said cams are locked together when their higher points engage.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN W. PRIDMORE.

litnesses:

HENRY B. UTLEY, FRED H. GERE. 

